As demonstrated by a recent study, TGF-β signalling acts as the central node in the immune-exclusion phenotype, in which a high stromal component excludes T cells from tumour nests in bladder cancer models.2 We found a similar immune-exclusion mechanism in the MS type OPC tumours, as indicated by concomitant T cell exclusion and upregulation of f-TBRS. Here, TGFB1 is linked to neoplasm.